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College football is back, and Week 1 isn’t giving NC State or North Carolina much time to settle in.
Both programs enter 2026 looking to bounce back from disappointing seasons, and in what should be a tough ACC, getting off to a strong start matters. NC State opens on the road against Virginia, while North Carolina travels to Ireland for a rematch with TCU.
It’s only Week 1, but we’ll learn plenty about both teams right away.
NC State’s First Test Starts Up Front
NC State heads to Virginia as an underdog, immediately giving the Wolfpack a chance to make a statement on the road.
The biggest thing I’m watching is the offensive line.
NC State enters the season with questions at offensive tackle, while Virginia attacked the transfer portal to improve its pass rush. If the Cavaliers can consistently get pressure without sending extra defenders, it could make life difficult for veteran quarterback CJ Bailey.
But give Bailey time, and things get interesting.
He’s already shown he can make plays against Virginia, and NC State added new pieces around him this offseason. The Wolfpack don’t need Bailey running for his life and trying to create something on every possession. Protect him, let him get comfortable, and allow the offense to work through its playmakers.
The other question is whether NC State’s defense can get enough stops.
Virginia enters the season with transfer quarterback Beau Pribula, who comes over from Missouri after completing 67.4% of his passes for 1,941 yards and 11 touchdowns last season.
Pribula also brings mobility to the position, meaning NC State’s defense has to remain disciplined while trying to create pressure.
For the Wolfpack, the formula is pretty simple: protect Bailey and get off the field defensively.
Do that, and NC State has a real chance to leave Charlottesville with an early ACC win.
UNC Gets an Immediate Shot at Redemption
North Carolina’s opener carries a different type of pressure.
The Tar Heels travel to Ireland to face the same TCU program that walked into Chapel Hill last season and handed UNC a 48-14 loss.
Now Bill Belichick enters Year 2 with significantly less hype—but also a chance to immediately show this isn’t the same North Carolina team.
Offensively, the Tar Heels should start with the running game.
Sophomore Demon June returns alongside Benjamin Hall, while LSU transfer Kaleb Jackson gives UNC another option in the backfield. If Belichick and offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino can establish the run early, it could take significant pressure off new starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr.
Edwards brings experience from stops at Maryland and Wisconsin, but he also missed most of last season due to injury.
There could be some rust.
That’s why UNC doesn’t need to ask him to win the game by himself. Lean on the backfield, get players like June and Jordan Shipp involved early, and allow Edwards to settle into the offense.
The bigger concern may be on the other side of the football.
Defensive coordinator Steve Belichick has missed much of training camp while on medical leave, and his availability for the opener remains uncertain. That puts even more attention on how North Carolina handles its defensive operation Saturday.
The good news for UNC is that TCU is changing, too.
The Horned Frogs enter 2026 with a new offensive coordinator, a new quarterback, and an offense expected to place greater emphasis on the running game. So while last year’s 48-14 result will hang over this matchup, both teams look considerably different.
For UNC, this isn’t about erasing last season with one victory.
It’s about showing that 2026 won’t look like 2025.
No Time for a Slow Start
Week 1 won’t determine either team’s season, but neither NC State nor North Carolina has been handed a comfortable opening act.
The Wolfpack have to go on the road to face an improved Virginia team. The Tar Heels travel overseas to face a program that embarrassed them one year ago.
And in a competitive ACC, starting 0-1 can quickly make the road ahead more difficult.
For two programs trying to bounce back, there’s no warm-up. The test starts immediately.
